Police looking for man suspected of killing wife, child

Police in Karaba are looking for a man suspected of killing his wife and child and burying their bodies in a shallow grave in Gitaraka in Mbeere South, Meru.

The man, who is about 40 years old, is suspected to have killed the two after persistent disagreement.

Karaba Chief Stephen Nzioka said it is suspected the man killed his wife and child on Saturday since that is when the wife went missing.

He said the residents became suspicious after children showed them the trench the man, who could not be traced, had dug a few metres from the main house.

“He is now at large. He has been saying that the wife had travelled to her parents’ home in Machakos. It is possible that he carried out the heinous murder on Saturday when the wife went missing,” Mr Nzioka told the Nation on phone. The administrator said the discovery was only made on Monday afternoon, and police would seek a court order to exhume the bodies. He hoped the order would be issued yesterday.

NOT ESTABLISHED

The chief said the nature of the disagreement that had led to the killing had not yet been established, but that the neighbours said the family has been having fights for some time.

“People had seen him digging the trench near the main house, but thought he was just doing normal chores. We are waiting for the police to get a court order so that we can establish if that is where they are buried,” Mr Nzioka said.

In Homa Bay, a seven–year-old girl was found dead with her private parts mutilated.

The body of the minor, identified as Christabel Otieno, was found in her father’s home at Kokiro in Kakelo, Rachuonyo East.

'SLEEPING ALONE'

Her father Chrispine Otieno told police he had left the girl sleeping alone in the house when he went to work on Monday evening.

“I was alarmed when I found the door of my house broken. My daughter, who had been sleeping inside, was missing and the only thing I found was blood on the bed and floor,” Mr Otieno said.

Residents mounted a search and found the girl’s body near River Awach.

“My daughter was in good health when I left her.... She has been butchered like an animal,” Mr Otieno said.

Homa Bay Officer Commanding Police Division Esau Ochorokodi said investigations were underway.